Improvement in washing-machines



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BENNETL washinyMachines.

` Patented Oct. 21,1873,

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Washing-Machines. NO. 143,869. Patented Oct. 21,1873.

UNITED STATES JoEN BENNETT, oE

PATENT OFFICE.

EL PASO, ILLINOIS.

IMPRovEME'NT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 143,869, dated October 21, 1873 application led May 27, 1873.

which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to that class of machines which employ a reciprocating rubberhead and a stationarywash-board, over which the clothes are scrubbed, and worked from place to place bythe action of the rubberhead; and it consists in the construction Vand arrangement of the several parts, as hereinafter described.

Y In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a perspective view of a machine embodying my improvements; Fig.'2, a vertical longitudinal section of the same 5 Fig. 3, a plan view, with the cover removed to show the hinged supports; and Fig. 4, a transverse vertical section in the line a' x of Fig. 3.

A rectangular box, A, of suitable dimensions, is supported upon the legs B B, and is provided with a hinged cover, G, which, when open, rests upon brackets or supports D, hinged to the legs. AWhen the cover is closed thebrackets may be folded back against the sides of the box, and placed out of the way.

`The .bottom A of the box is made of galvanized iron, copper, or other suitable plate metal; and a furnace, E, is placed directlyv beneath it, and extends under its entire surface. The bottom of the box is sloping or depressed toward the middle, so that the sediment vvaccumulating at that part of the box may be readily run off through theI vent a. The rubber-head -F is of suitable form, and, preferably, notched or corrugated on its face to better hold the material to be worked. The vrubber-head is pivotcd to brackets F1 F.1 at either end in such manner that it will lave a limited rocking movement, in order that it may adapt itself to the` varying surface `over which it moves. rEhe brackets F1 F1 are secured to rails F2 F2, that are connected together, at one of their ends, by the handle F3, and are 'provided with frictionrollers F4L F4, that are guided and held in place by, and travel freely between, guide-rods g g, secured to the box in a peculiar manner. The rods g g are connected to detachable leaves or .guide-boards` G G, which fit upon,

and project above, the upper edge of the .box at itsl 4 rear end, and extend about half- *Wayv of its length, so that the water and suds thrown up by the worker will be prevented from splashing out over the sides` of the box.

By placing the guide-rods upon the leaves G G, arranged above the box, they are, in a great measure, prevented from swelling by .the water saturating the wood, which would impede the working of the rollers, and, when iron is used, are prevented from corroding, which would discolor the water and injure the clothing.

The leaves are held in'place by suitable pins g1 g1 and hooks g2 g2, which permit them to be removed, so that the lid may be closed, and the box converted into a boiler, when desired.

e The face of the wash-board H is formed of rollers` freely journaled in the side pieces H lil/ of its ame. The side pieces are connected together by cross-braces, and are formed in a peculiar manner to permit the face of the washboard to yield and adjust itself beneath the lrubber to prevent the clothes from being injured thereby, and also enable the machine to be operated with greater ease.

The side pieces are formed of hickory, or other suitable elastic material, and are Z- shaped, to permit the face of the board to` yield uniformly over its entire surface, as will -be readily understood.

I thus secure a simple, cheap, and effective spring mechanism without the use of metal 4or other corroding material.

The operation of the ldevice will be readily understood from the foregoing description, as it does not differ in principle from other machines of this class.

Bymeans of the improved construction and arrangement of the various parts I am enabled to handle the clothes with great con-` venience and expedition, and also securea durable and easily-operating device.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv The combination and arrangement of the wash-board H, having the Z-shap'ed side pieces, rubber-head F, brackets Fl F1, rails F2 F2, guide-rods g g,'attached to the removable guide-boards G G, and the wash-box A,-.

all constructed and operated substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

-JOHN BENNETT.

Witnesses:

Jos. T. K. PLANT, Y CLARK S. FULLER. 

